


Falling for the First Time

by dorkpatroller



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Fluff, M/M, No Way, first time u realize, i wont say it noo nooooooo, leoniles - Freeform, no chance, ur in love, week of the outlaw
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-28
Updated: 2018-12-28
Packaged: 2019-09-29 00:55:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 896
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17193443
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dorkpatroller/pseuds/dorkpatroller
Summary: Niles didn't know he was in love when he woke up that morning. Funny how one moment can change everything.





	Falling for the First Time

**Author's Note:**

> This is part of a collaboration I did with @pulpodraws for the week of the outlaw! PLEASE go look at the amazing artwork that goes with it here:  
> https://twitter.com/pulpodraws/status/1078430576787435520

The skies are remarkably blue today, with fluffy white clouds that don't mean any harm. The wind is a little too strong, whistling by their ears now and then, but beyond a bit of a bad hair day, no one can complain. This is a fine summer day. Leo steps closer to the decorative, stone balcony and he looks out over the wide, open courtyard. Niles follows, and he finds his thumb brushing thoughtlessly over the uneven texture of the stone rail under his grip. 

 

Down below there are soldiers. Well, they’re meant to be soldiers. They’re all very new recruits only just beginning their training to become knights. Niles doesn’t partake much in training them, although for one reason or another they always seem to want to impress him. He supposes being the first retainer to the second prince of Nohr comes with a bit of respect, but he always shrugs it off. He could care less what they do as long as they don’t interfere with his leige.

 

Leo is watching them studiously. His eyes are narrow but calm while he looks over at them. Some of the men and women glance up, and though he can’t hear them Niles imagines they’re murmuring about the prince watching over their training. One man gets so distracted he stops walking… which makes the person behind him bump right into him. This happens in a domino effect until half the unit is on their asses on the ground… and Niles has a smirk on his lips. 

 

“Idiots, all of them,” He says to himself, and maybe to Leo, but Leo abruptly turns around to face away from the minor catastrophe. He covers his smile with his hand, but then his shoulders shake and it gives away that he’s laughing under his breath. 

 

“Yes,” He says behind his fingers, “They are.” 

 

That should have been the end of it. They fell, it was amusing, but it must have truly resonated with Leo because he doesn’t stop laughing. In fact, as the shouts of their commander lecturing them waft up to the balcony on the warm breeze, Leo’s shoulders just shake harder. 

 

Leo is an incredibly well put-together man. Niles has known him for years, watched over him for years, and to see him like this is refreshing more than anything. His walls are down, his laughter isn’t confined to a minute smirk. He’s doubled over himself barking out the most  _ undignified, unglamourous  _ laughter Niles has ever heard. He snorts! Like a pig! It’s hilarious in it’s impracticality. And what brought it on, did this tickle his funny bone so much? 

 

Niles isn’t laughing. He’s far too distracted by how he’s suddenly feeling overwhelmed. This warmth that he simply doesn’t expect and can’t explain rises up into his chest like a tide, and it’s so  _ startling _ that he lifts his hand and touches his shirt with his fingertips. Is he drowning? He rests his hand right over his racing heart. Niles has the immense pleasure of seeing Leo with his walls down more often than most, but this fit of giggles is such a beautiful rarity. This is an unrefined part of Leo that Niles didn’t even know he longed to see more of. 

 

Leo wipes his eyes with the knuckle of his finger and he straightens himself up pitifully.  "I'm so sorry," He says. His voice is still just a little too high pitched, but he’s reeling himself back in. "Goodness, Niles, I look like a fool. I simply couldn't get the image of them all toppling over one at a time out of my head." He has a wide smile on his face, like at any  _ second _ he is at risk of breaking down and laughing again. Niles tries not to look as completely shocked as he is. He fails because Leo clears his throat. "I'm sure it surprised you. I have a dreadful laugh, I do my best to keep it to myself.” 

 

His laugh? Ha! Niles is having an entire  _ crisis _ and it’s not over his  _ ugly laughter _ , not really. That was just the trigger. A different set of dominoes are falling over one after another in his mind, every wall and barricade he’s ever created is crashing down, because he’s realizing something both beautiful and  _ horrifying _ for the first time. 

 

Niles is in love. 

 

Leo clears his throat one final time and with it, his smile pulls back into a gentle, reserved smirk per the norm. "Come now, it can't have been that shocking." 

 

“I love… it. I love it, milord.” What in the world are they talking about? Ah, yes, his laughter. “I see no reason for you to hide that.” 

 

“You only  _ love _ it because you can use it to mock me. I didn't even snort as dreadfully loud as I could have." Leo smiles at Niles again, and he heads towards the door that leads back into the castle. "Come along, now. We have our own work to do, it's best we don't distract these troops any longer." 

 

Oh, no. He’s just in _love_. His skin tingles, his heart won’t calm down, everything feels warm and fuzzy. It’s like he’s been cursed. How did this _happen?_ _When_ did this happen? He hurries after Leo with only one passing glance back at the balcony. 

 

Good gods, he can’t believe he’s in love. 


End file.
